| �Yeah, he�s been a major support through out all this.� �That�s good. I still don�t have a reason to kick his ass yet.� She laughed and I smiled. �Your mom here?� �I think she left with Uncle John or something or other.� I nodded my head and waved as she left to great everyone else. �How�s the kids?� I jumped and turned around, locking eyes with his brown ones. �Good, with my mom.� �Thought you would have brought them so they could see their grandpa.� �No, they�re still young and I don�t think they would quite understand what�s going on. Sides, didn�t I tell you I did not want them around Lee?� �They�re gonna have to find out sooner or later that she�s gonna be their step mom.� I stared at him, eyes huge and mouth open. �You have got to be kidding me? You�re gonna marry her Howie?� �Yes I am.� I just rolled my eyes and shook my head. �I refuse to allow them to call her any version of �mom�.� �You can�t refuse that!� �Yes I can Howard. I�m their mother.� �And I�m their father.� �And what good has that done them? You hardly show your face and when you do ask for them, you tire of them quite easily. You wanted a family and yet when you get one, you can�t handle them.� �I wanted a family when I was younger, but I grew up. And the person I married was younger and she�s the one who wanted a family.� �I see, so, now it�s my fault that those kids were born?� I crossed my arms over my chest and stared him down. Like he always did, he backed down. Nothing could stand up to my temper and he knew that. �Whatever Howie, I don�t care anymore. Remember, you ended it.� I shook my head as I left him standing there. �Resa?� I glanced over at John and smiled. �Dad wants to see you.� I nodded my head and took off down the hall way he just came from. I softly knocked on his door and as the doctor opened it up, I stepped in. I sucked in a breath as I saw my father-in-law laying on the bed, hooked up to some machines. I walked over to the side of the bed and gently took his hand within mine. �Hey mija.� �Hi Hoke.� �Dad.� I smiled and nodded my head. �Dad. How are you feeling?� �Better now that I�ve seen you mija. You and D talk?� �Got in a fight.� He chuckled and smiled at me. �Resa, you guys are over, shouldn�t that stop.� �I thought so.� He softly shook his head. �As long as you love each other, it will never stop. Promise me something Theresa, please?� I just nodded my head. �Do whatever you can in your power to split Lee and D up and take him back. I do not like seeing Howie with a woman who does not love him, but just uses him.� �I promise dad, I will do everything I can.� He smiled and nodded his head, his eyes closing. I sighed and smiled as the doctor came back in. �So, you�re the young lady he�s been asking for?� �That�s me. Is he gonna be okay?� �Yeah. He�s doing just fine. He�s just asleep from the medicine I gave him.� �Thanks.� I softly kissed his cheek and left the room, my mind thinking and replaying what he said. �You okay?� I glanced at Angie and smiled. �Hey girl. Yeah. Just, can I ask you something?� �Sure hon.� �Dad something about Lee using Howie. What did he mean?� �Lee is like almost a good 12 years younger than him. Lee doesn�t love him nor does he love her. But she�s just trying to make herself look good. She�s got quite a few of outstanding debts and I mean, high shit she can not pay off and with Howie marrying her, she can dig into his money and get them down.� I could only laugh at that mere thought. �What?� �If that�s what she thinks, she�s gonna be in for a rude awaking. Howie hardly spent money on me.� Angie just nodded her head and bid me goodbye. I walked out of the hospital, making my way home. I sat down on my couch, the photo album opened on my lap. Why did so many things have to go wrong? Why did Howie leave? Why did this happen to Hoke? �Mommy?� I sighed and looked at my daughter. She looked so much like him. His curly hair, his big brown eyes. �Yes mija?� She crawled unto my lap and looked at the pictures with me. �Is grandpa going to be okay?� �Yes Esperanza, he�s gonna be fine. He just needs his rest for a little while.� �You and daddy gonna be okay?� I gazed down at her face and brushed some curls behind her ear. �I believe that some how, daddy and I will be happy.� She nodded her head, to young to understand that there may have been a better answer I could have used. �I�m happy being with my mommy. I love you.� I smiled and brushed her hair as she laid her head on my shoulder. My lips grazed the top of her head. So innocent, so very sweet and so very much like her father. �You okay?� I glanced at my son and offered my arm. He sat down beside me and laid his head on my shoulder. �Grandma said grandpa was in the hospital. Is he gonna be okay?� �He�s gonna be fine Roberto.� �Did you see dad today?� �Yes, I did actually.� �He wants to marry Lee. Said we were going to have to call her step-mom. But I don�t like her. She�s mean to us and doesn�t like us.� �You�ve spent time with your father and she was around?� �Yeah, a few times.� �Next time that happens mijo, call me. I�ll come pick you up.� He just nodded his head and closed his eyes. �Did you know this John?� I sipped my drink and looked at my brother-in-law. �I swear, if we�d known we would have done something. Sides, isn�t Roberto to young to understand these things?� �He�s eight John. Both him and Esperanza understand that their father doesn�t like them.� �That�s not true. I understand you think that, but he loves them.� I sighed and looked out the window. �Just like he loves me, right?� John took my hand and placed a soft kiss there |
| The Heart Won't Lie By: Resa Dorough (thanks to Terri for the title) |
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